JP5542679B2 - Hose clamp - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a hose clamp or a hose clip having a flexible strap, the strap is arranged around the hose, and is expanded and contracted by a mechanism for increasing or decreasing the effective length of the strap. This mechanism is fixed to one end of the strap and drives the other end of the strap.

  Such hose clamps are known in the art and are usually used to fix a hose made of plastic or rubber material to another member such as a tube, pipe, nipple or the like made of plastic or metal material. Mechanisms for increasing or decreasing the effective length of the strap typically include a housing with a driveable bolt or screw having an external thread. This housing is fixed to one end of the strap.

  The location at which the clamp is assembled is encompassed by a hose that is assembled to the tube, pipe or nipple. This assembly is called a set in the following.

  The other end of the strap is located above the fixed end and is guided through the housing with engagement means provided on this end of the strap for engagement, and a bolt Or it is driven by the thread of the screw. For example, these engagement means are provided by a threaded region or a tooth or a plurality of continuous openings in the strap.

  When the bolt or screw is rotated on the set, the effective length of the strap, and thus the free inner diameter of the clamp, is increased or decreased depending on the direction of rotation. Since the hose is formed from an elastomeric material (rubber, plastic, etc.), the hose can be assembled and secured to another member (ie, tube, pipe or nipple) by a hose clamp that surrounds the hose.

  The mechanism is merely an example without limiting the invention. It is known to those skilled in the art to provide other mechanisms for tightening the hose clamp.

  As a problem, it is known that the elastomeric material of the hose deteriorates due to aging. For example, the elastomeric material can shrink and cause hose connection failure. To reduce this risk, it is known in the art to provide a spring action in the hose clamp for compensation.

  For example, US Pat. Nos. 5,309,607 and US Pat. No. 5,115,541 disclose a spring element attached to the interior of such a known hose clamp, inside an integrally formed strap. The spring element applies a spring force radially to the hose surrounded by such a hose clamp. The disadvantage of such a spring element inside the hose clamp is that the free inner diameter is artificially reduced and the cross section of the hose clamp is not circular. Thus, certain areas of the clamped hose facing the inserted spring element are more stressed than other areas of the hose, which means that the elastomeric material in this area is subject to greater forces and is displaced. This also leads to a hose connection failure.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a new hose clamp with a spring force action that biases or compensates the enclosed hose without the disadvantages of locally increasing the clamping force. .

  This object is achieved by a common type of hose clamp in which at least one part or region of the strap is formed as a spring element. Such a spring element is arranged between the fixed end of the strap and the driven end at every point in the strap, but preferably in the vicinity of the mechanism for tightening the strap.

  In contrast to the prior art, the essential feature of the present invention provides a spring force action in a strap placed around the hose rather than as a separate spring element located at the free inside diameter of the hose clamp. That is. According to a preferred embodiment, the inner diameter of the clamp according to the invention is not reduced by the spring element. Another advantage of this embodiment is that the biasing or compensating force provided by this spring element in the strap does not act locally in the radial direction, but in the longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction of the strap), more in detail. In other words, it acts in the circumferential direction of the elongated strap. This force thus tightens the hose clamp by reducing the inner diameter, thereby applying a uniformly distributed radial force to the hose.

  Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the maximum force applied to the hose is limited, and this limitation does not cause a decrease when trying to further reduce the diameter of the clamp and compensates for this force. This is because the spring element only extends. Furthermore, an advantage of the present invention is that the spring element compensates for changes in strap length due to environmental temperature changes.

  In a possible embodiment of the invention, the spring element may be formed integrally with the strap, i.e. the spring element is a member integral with the strap. In another preferred embodiment, the spring element may be integrally formed with one of the ends or portions of the strap and may be coupled to the other portion or end of the strap. In another preferred embodiment, the spring element may be formed as a separate element that is inserted into the strap between the fixed end of the strap and the driven end.

  Providing a separate spring element within the strap has the advantage that the material of the strap and spring element can be freely selected. Thus, the spring element and the rest of the strap may be made of the same material or different materials, in particular the material of the spring element is adapted to provide the necessary spring action. As a non-limiting example, the spring element is formed from stainless steel, carbon steel, or spring steel.

  Such a spring element provides a compensation mechanism arranged to unify both or both parts of the strap. The spring element is driven by a support (longitudinal spring bridge) in a particular preferred embodiment described below. With this compensation mechanism, the length of the hose clamp can be changed in a given situation without damaging the hose in order to maintain sufficient force on the hose, for example due to environmental changes.

  Once the spring element compensation mechanism is assembled, the length of the spring element compensation mechanism does not change due to the screw tightening to loosen the screw or bolt, and the appropriate environmental changes are just as before the given change. The member diameter is varied to provide sufficient force so that the system (hose and set) continues to operate. For example, if the temperature of the set decreases due to some environmental change, the hose will shrink, resulting in a decrease in the hose diameter. The member automatically compensates for this change and applies extra force to the hose by the potential energy stored in the longitudinal spring elements of the mechanism, particularly the corrugated spring elements.

  In order to provide a separate spring element for the hose clamp, this spring element is provided with positive locking or a form-closed link, in particular at least one connection or connection element at the end of the spring element. It is inserted into the strap by being connected to a corresponding connecting part or connecting element at the end. Of course, both ends of the spring element may be connected to the corresponding strap ends in a similar manner.

  For example, the end of the spring element has at least one fold or T-shaped protrusion or splice for insertion into a corresponding number of engagement openings provided in the corresponding end or portion of the strap. doing. Such a connection also provides a hinge. In an improved embodiment of such a connection, the connecting end of the strap is bent. This makes it possible to connect the spring element to this bent part, in particular to the opening provided in this bent part, in particular without overlapping the spring element and the strap. Furthermore, the folded part may be refolded, connecting the spring element into an opening provided in this refolded part, in particular this refolded part, which in particular has the same advantages.

  In alternative embodiments, a separate spring element may be inserted into the strap by welding or gluing at least one end of the spring element to the end of the strap. Of course, these connections and other connections may be combined.

  If the spring element is integrally formed with one part of the strap, the spring element may be connected to another part of the strap as described above.

  In order to provide the necessary spring action, the spring element (whether integrally formed or a separate member) is formed as a corrugated, in particular at least partly flexible element. Often, this element is curved according to the curvature of the strap and has a corrugation along the length of the strap. Such a spring element has a wave-like shape propagating along the strap in the direction of the strap, ie in the circumferential direction.

  In order to prevent the inner diameter from being reduced by such a corrugated spring element in a possible refinement, the corrugation of the spring element is arranged outside the virtual curve representing the curvature or circumference of the strap.

  Preferably, the spring element is provided with at least one or two corrugations, but the number is not limited and may be larger. Furthermore, the height of the wave shape of the spring element may decrease from the center of the spring element toward the end of the spring element, or may be constant.

  In another improved embodiment, the spring element is guided to slide in a guide element adjacent to the spring element inside the hose clamp. Such an embodiment contacts the hose evenly in the area of the spring element, not only in the area of the top of the corrugation, but also in the larger area provided by the guide element arranged between the spring element and the hose. Has the advantage. In this embodiment, the guide element may also have a curvature corresponding to the curvature or circumference of the strap and / or spring element. Accordingly, the inner diameter of the hose clamp according to the present invention is the same as that of a conventionally known general hose clamp and does not provide any biasing force.

  Further, the guide element may be fixed to one end of the strap and slidably connected to the other end of the strap. Thus, when tightening the clamp or reducing the effective length of the strap, one end of the guide element slides along the end of the strap to which this end is slidably connected, thereby causing a spring. Avoid any restrictions on the element.

  The guide element may also be U-shaped when viewed in a cross section in the longitudinal direction of the strap, i.e. perpendicular to the circumferential direction, and is adapted to receive a spring element within the cross section. . In this embodiment, the spring element and the guide element cannot be dissociated.

  In addition, auxiliary hose clamps may be provided, for example, restricting elements to facilitate prepositioning of the hose clamp on the hose when the hose clamp is not yet tightened, or for other purposes. This auxiliary element may extend at least partially in a direction perpendicular to the strap and in the longitudinal direction of the hose. The auxiliary element may be arranged on the guide element, for example the auxiliary element may be formed integrally with the guide element. In another embodiment, the auxiliary element may be welded, bonded or glued to the guide element, especially if it is made of a material different from the guide element.

  When acting as a limiting device, the auxiliary element or limiting element may have a stop surface for contacting the front surface of the hose, thereby defining the distance between the clamp and the front surface. This helps to find and maintain the correct position of the hose clamp before tightening the clamp.

  Various embodiments of hose clamps having various types of coupling the spring to the strap are shown in the drawings.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a hose clamp, wherein the spring is coupled to the strap by welding or gluing. It is a figure which shows the assembled state of the hose clamp shown by FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing a hose clamp, wherein a spring is coupled to the strap by inserting a T-shaped protrusion into a corresponding opening in the strap. It is a figure which shows the assembled state of the hose clamp shown by FIG. 2A. FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing a hose clamp, wherein a spring is coupled to the strap by inserting a bent protrusion into a corresponding opening in the strap. It is a figure which shows the assembled state of the hose clamp shown by FIG. 3A. FIG. 5 shows an assembled state of a hose clamp having a spring element formed integrally with a strap. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the hose clamp shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B having auxiliary elements to facilitate pre-positioning. It is a figure which shows the assembled state of the hose clamp shown by FIG. 5A.

  All embodiments of the hose clamp shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 have the same elements given the same reference numbers. Hose clamps differ only in the manner in which the spring element is coupled to the strap. Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows an auxiliary element. These embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the invention.

  The exploded views of FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A and 5A show a hose clamp having a strap 1 or a separate spring element 5 inserted into the gap provided in the strap 1 along the periphery of the strap. .

  In general, the hose clamp shown in all figures has a strap 1 with two ends or portions 1a and 1b. The housing 2 is fixed to the strap portion 1a by tightening or welding, for example. The end of the strap or the open end 1c of the part 1b overlaps the part 1a, is guided through the housing 2 and is driven by a driveable screw 3 arranged in the housing 2. The screw 3 has a thread that engages a corresponding engagement region 4 at the open end 1c of the portion 1b of the strap 1. This engagement region is formed as a region 4 having threads or as a region 4 having teeth or a number of successive recesses or openings. By rotating the screw 3 in the housing 2, the open end 1c is moved in and out of the housing 2, thereby changing the diameter of the hose clamp.

  As shown in the exploded views of FIGS. 1A, 2A, 3A, 4 and 5A, a spring element 5 is provided in the form of a connecting member between the strap portions 1a and 1b. In all the embodiments, the spring element 5 has a waveform formed as three waveforms 5 a along the length direction of the spring element 5, that is, the circumferential direction of the strap 1. The number of waveforms 5a of the illustrated spring element 5 does not limit the scope of the invention. The number of waveforms 5a may be different in other embodiments and is at least one. Furthermore, the spring element 5 has an overall curvature substantially corresponding to the curvature or circumference of the strap 1.

  The two ends 5b of the spring element 5 are connected to the strap portions 1a and 1b in various different ways. In FIG. 1, the end portion 5b is a flat protrusion bonded or welded to the surface of the end portions of the strap portions 1a and 1b.

  2 and 5, the end 5b is a T-shaped protrusion 6 and each T-shaped protrusion engages a corresponding opening or recess 7 located at the end of the strap portions 1a and 1b. ing. In FIG. 3, the ends 5b are bent projections 6 forming hooks, each projection engaging a corresponding opening or recess 7 located at the end of the strap portions 1a and 1b. Yes. In FIG. 4, the spring element 5 is formed integrally with the strap 1.

  In all illustrated embodiments, a guide element 8 is further provided adjacent to the spring element 5 inside the hose clamp. The guide element 8 provides a base surface 8 a that is slidably in contact with the spring element 5, and this base surface 8 a further has a side wall 8 b, so that the circumferential direction of the strap 1 can be reduced. A U-shape is formed in the vertical cross section. With this shape, the spring element 5 can always keep contact with the guide element. Furthermore, the overall curvature of the guide element 8 substantially corresponds to the curvature of the strap 1. The rear surface of the guide element 8 opposite the surface 8a further contacts a hose (not shown) and protects the spring element 5 and the hose clamped against the spring element corrugation 5a.

  One end 8 c of the guide element 8 is fixed to the strap 1, and the other end 8 c of the guide element slides at the end of the strap 1. In order to be able to slide along the strap 1, the end 8c of the guide element 8 has a bent projection 8d which loosely holds around the strap 1, in particular around the part 1a or 1b of the strap 1. . The fixed end 8c has a similar projection 8d, but is tightly bent around the strap 1, in particular around the portion 1b or 1a of the strap 1. The protrusion 8d may be an end of the side wall 8b.

  FIG. 5 further shows the clamp shown in FIG. 2 additionally having an auxiliary element 9 formed integrally with the guide element 8. The part of the auxiliary element 9 extends in a direction perpendicular to the strap 1 and in the longitudinal direction relative to the hose (not shown). The end of the auxiliary element 9 is bent three times. The free end of the auxiliary element 9 forms a stop surface 10 that contacts the front surface of the hose. By contacting the front surface, the distance between the front surface and the hose clamp is defined.

  Providing the auxiliary element 9 to the hose clamp is not limited to the embodiment shown in FIG. An auxiliary element may be provided in all embodiments shown or not shown.

  In general, by tightening the hose clamp, the part 1b of the strap 1, in particular the end 1c of this part, is drawn into the housing 2. The effective length of the strap 1 is reduced and the spring element 5 is stretched, thereby providing a biasing force or a compensating force. By tightening, potential energy is stored in the spring element. This biasing force or stored energy helps to tighten the hose even if the hose has deteriorated due to aging. Furthermore, the spring element 5 acts as a force limiter by being stretched when the applied force is too great.

  All features mentioned in connection with a particular embodiment are not provided only in this particular embodiment, but may be provided in all embodiments even if not explicitly mentioned. All features are part of the invention and may be combined in any relationship with each other.

  1 strap, 1a, 1b part, 2 housing, 3 screw, 4 region, 5 spring element, 5a wave, 5b end, 6 protrusion, 7 engagement opening, 8 guide element, 8a base surface, 8b side wall, 8c end 8d Protrusion 9 Auxiliary element 10 Stop surface

Claims (14)

A hose clamp comprising a flexible strap (1) disposed around the hose and a mechanism (2, 3) for increasing or decreasing the effective length of the strap (1), The mechanism (2, 3) is fixed to one end (1a) of the strap (1) and drives the other end (1b, 1c) of the strap (1). 1) at least one part or region is formed as a spring element (5), which provides a spring force in the circumferential direction of the strap (1), the spring element (5) A hose clamp formed as a separate element inserted into the strap (1) between the fixed end (1a) of the strap (1) and the driven end (1b, 1c) ,
At least one connecting part or element (6) provided at the end (5b) of the spring element (5) is connected to the strap (5) by a positive lock or a shape closure link, the free end of the spring element (5). 1) by being connected to a corresponding connecting part or element (7) provided at the end or part (1a, 1b) of the strap (1) to one part or end (1a, 1b) of the strap (1). Hose clamp, characterized in that it is connected and the spring element (5) is formed in a wave shape and is inserted into the gap of the strap (1) in the circumferential direction .   The end of the spring element (5) has at least one fold or T-shaped projection or splice, which is inserted into a corresponding number of engagement openings provided in a corresponding end or part of the strap; The hose clamp of claim 1, wherein the hose clamp provides a hinge.   Hose according to claim 2, wherein the end of the strap (1) or the connecting end of the part (1a, 1b) is bent and the spring element (5) is connected to the bent part. Clamp.   The hose clamp according to claim 3, wherein the bent portion is bent again, and the spring element is connected to the bent portion.   The spring element (5) is a corrugated, at least partly flexible element, curved according to the curvature of the strap (1) and corrugated (5a) along the circumferential direction of the strap (1) The hose clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising:   Hose clamp according to claim 5, wherein the corrugation (5a) of the spring element (5) is positioned outside an imaginary curve representing the curvature of the strap (1).   The height of the corrugation (5a) of the spring element (5) decreases from the center of the spring element (5) towards the end (5b) of the spring element (5). Hose clamp as described.   The spring element (5) is slidably guided in a guide element (8) adjacent to the spring element (5) inside the hose clamp. Hose clamp.   Hose clamp according to claim 8, wherein the guide element (8) has a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the strap (1).   Hose clamp according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the guide element (8) is fixed to one end of the strap and slidably connected to the other end of the strap (1). .   The guide element (8) is U-shaped in a cross section perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the strap (1), and the spring element (5) is received inside the cross section. The hose clamp according to any one of claims 8 to 10.   An auxiliary element (9) is provided for facilitating prepositioning of the hose clamp in the hose, the auxiliary element (9) being at least partly perpendicular to the strap (1) and of the hose. The hose clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the hose clamp extends in a longitudinal direction.   The auxiliary element (9) has a stop surface (10) for contacting the front surface of the hose, and is adapted to define a distance between the stop surface and the hose clamp. 12. The hose clamp according to 12.   Hose clamp according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the auxiliary element (9) is arranged on the guide element (8) and is formed integrally with the guide element (8).

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